Cardinals franchise is a major piece in the game of Salary cap Chess

[BrockFloodMaris]

It makes incredible business sense. If the league gets a salary cap, the owners will save billions of dollars over the years. Just like the other 3 pro sports leagues do.

One team losing millions over 1 to 3 seasons is nothing.

Several examples of "have not" teams already exist. No deliberate manipulation is required to make that case.

[Longhorns55]

Nice to see you back Catherine. How was your time in the Gulag?

I thought it felt familiar.

[zuck698]

Please tell us where Jimmy Hoffa is buried too.

[Konstantinov]

It makes incredible business sense. If the league gets a salary cap, the owners will save billions of dollars over the years. Just like the other 3 pro sports leagues do.

One team losing millions over 1 to 3 seasons is nothing.

Several examples of "have not" teams already exist. No deliberate manipulation is required to make that case.

But the iconic Cardinals, worshipped for generations and part of the foundation of the city, completely losing their fanbase due to salary limitations makes a much more powerful statement over the A's or Rays doing it.

Just wait. Later this year, an ESPN/ MLB network talking point will be the futility & disinterest of St. Louis and the desperation for MLB to have a salary cap.

[Strummer Jones]

The 2026 Cardinals are being tanked for a greater MLB endgame in 2028. St. Louis is being used by MLB as a perfect example of a cautionary tale, a team whose once proud fan base has abandoned ship, due to our small market “inability” to compete with big market spenders New York and Los Angeles. All fans, and even many players across the nation will point to St. Louis as the perfect example of why we need a salary cap.
We may set a team record for losses. And Cardinal fans are the sad recipients of the fallout.
Checkmate.

Cardinals team record for loses is 111 (1898).

I'll bet the house they don't "threaten" that record.

Vlad employs a LOT of hyperbole in his OP. Mo's laziness, arrogance and stubbornness over the last ten years have determined the state of the Cardinals much more than any MLB conspiracy to use the Cards as a CBA bargaining example.

BINGO!

Bingo. We've been spending money up until this year. Just spending it poorly.

Exactly

While it's fun to call BDWJr "cheap", the facts is he gave Mo plenty of money and Mo blew the vast majority of it on bad extensions and free agent signings I won't list because we all know them.

Why I hope C. Bloom doesn't pay the price for Mo's bungles for more than a couple of seasons, Dewitt has to trust he'll make much better decisions.

I would like to hope that with the eating of salary in the Gray/Contreras/Nado deals means that Bloom does have the trust of the moneymen. I already have more faith in Bloom to not be flippant with it.

[Bomber1]

The 2026 Cardinals are being tanked for a greater MLB endgame in 2028. St. Louis is being used by MLB as a perfect example of a cautionary tale, a team whose once proud fan base has abandoned ship, due to our small market “inability” to compete with big market spenders New York and Los Angeles. All fans, and even many players across the nation will point to St. Louis as the perfect example of why we need a salary cap.
We may set a team record for losses. And Cardinal fans are the sad recipients of the fallout.
Checkmate.

Cool story.

[BrockFloodMaris]

It makes incredible business sense. If the league gets a salary cap, the owners will save billions of dollars over the years. Just like the other 3 pro sports leagues do.

One team losing millions over 1 to 3 seasons is nothing.

Several examples of "have not" teams already exist. No deliberate manipulation is required to make that case.

But the iconic Cardinals, worshipped for generations and part of the foundation of the city, completely losing their fanbase due to salary limitations makes a much more powerful statement over the A's or Rays doing it.

Just wait. Later this year, an ESPN/ MLB network talking point will be the futility & disinterest of St. Louis and the desperation for MLB to have a salary cap.

Are you related to chicken little? Turkey lurkey? Henny penny? The sky is not falling in STL. In fact, lots of folks are optimistic about the regime change and the reinvestment in player development. Feel free to look away. We’ll be fine. Go Cards!

[Dazepster]

Nice to see you back Catherine. How was your time in the Gulag?

I thought it felt familiar.

Few stay gone for too long.

Though, Maarge or Marge is overdue for a check in. Lol

[Ozziesfan41]

The 2026 Cardinals are being tanked for a greater MLB endgame in 2028. St. Louis is being used by MLB as a perfect example of a cautionary tale, a team whose once proud fan base has abandoned ship, due to our small market “inability” to compete with big market spenders New York and Los Angeles. All fans, and even many players across the nation will point to St. Louis as the perfect example of why we need a salary cap.
We may set a team record for losses. And Cardinal fans are the sad recipients of the fallout.
Checkmate.

lol the cardinals wont come any where close to a team record for losses

[bccardsfan]

Nice to see you back Catherine. How was your time in the Gulag?

I thought it felt familiar.

Few stay gone for too long.

Though, Maarge or Marge is overdue for a check in. Lol

I would love to see Maarrgie / WCBW return as the posts were harmless and great entertainment. Tin foil hat time:)

[scoutyjones2]

The 2026 Cardinals are being tanked for a greater MLB endgame in 2028. St. Louis is being used by MLB as a perfect example of a cautionary tale, a team whose once proud fan base has abandoned ship, due to our small market “inability” to compete with big market spenders New York and Los Angeles. All fans, and even many players across the nation will point to St. Louis as the perfect example of why we need a salary cap.
We may set a team record for losses. And Cardinal fans are the sad recipients of the fallout.
Checkmate.

Quite the fiction..